textfiles-politics/pythonCode/personTestingOutput/idaho.xml

<xml><p>
8/21: |HOAX REVEALED - OLIVER STONE TO DO <ent type='NORP'>MOVIE</ent>!
Name: Iceman #14 @6989
Date: Tue May 19 22:08:47 1992
From: Farstar BBS (<ent type='LOC'>Southern California</ent>) [619-521-1753]</p>

<p>THE "STATE" OF IDAHO: THE CASE FOR OPEN DEBATE</p>

<p>If you would ask any schoolchild how many states there are in the
United States, you will get the same answer: 50. Fifty states
in the <ent type='ORG'>Union</ent>. It is simply an accepted "fact." If you would
disagree with this supposed "fact," you would be branded insane
or worse.</p>

<p>However, mounting evidence shows that there are in fact only 49
states in the US, and the "state" of <ent type='GPE'>Idaho</ent> is a baseless myth.</p>

<p>We have been trying to distribute and publish this information
for over *two years*, but our scholarship has not been given
any respect. We have been censored, vilified, ridiculed and
spat upon by the "traditional" geographers and historians, but
WE WILL NOT BE SILENCED! </p>

<p>All we ask is that the existence of <ent type='GPE'>Idaho</ent> be debated,
as every other historical and geographic "fact" can be debated.
Time after time, our opponents have refused to debate us on the
<ent type='ORG'>FACTS</ent>. This alone should tell you something about the people who
support the "existence" of this "43rd state."

Please read the following evidence VERY CAREFULLY, and you will be
astonished at the veracity of our cause. </p>

<p>THE POPULATION MYTH</p>

<p>Do you know anybody from <ent type='GPE'>Idaho</ent>? Do you know anybody *who knows
anybody* from <ent type='GPE'>Idaho</ent>? According to the 1990 "census," there are
over one million (1000000, or 1 x 10^6) people living in
<ent type='GPE'>Idaho</ent>. But if there are so many <ent type='GPE'>Idaho</ent>ers, where are they?</p>

<p>Some people have come forward and claimed that they were born
and raised in "<ent type='GPE'>Idaho</ent>." But *every single person* who made this
claim have been shown to be frauds and charlatans. These "<ent type='GPE'>Idaho</ent>an
wannabes" are invariably inconsistent with each other about the
size (in square miles or square kilometers) of "<ent type='GPE'>Idaho</ent>," about
various town and village names, and even about the names
of "Idaho's mighty rivers." </p>

<p> THE SIZE FARCE</p>

<p>According to traditional geographic sources (created entirely
by people who believe in the existence of <ent type='GPE'>Idaho</ent>, and probably
the Tooth Fairy, also) the "State" of <ent type='GPE'>Idaho</ent> is more than twice
the size of <ent type='GPE'>Maine</ent>, <ent type='GPE'>Vermont</ent>, <ent type='GPE'>New Hampshire</ent>, <ent type='GPE'>Rhode Island</ent>,
Connecticut and <ent type='GPE'>Massachusetts</ent> *combined.* Isn't it strange that
a state with such vast land resources has so few people? And
even of you look at a map (created by the <ent type='GPE'>Idaho</ent>-centric
cartographers) the "State" of "<ent type='GPE'>Idaho</ent>" is dwarfed by its much
larger neighbor, Montana. </p>

<p>SATELLITE EVIDENCE</p>

<p>Recently declassified weather satellite information, showing
the entire continental United States, shows absolutely *no
evidence* that there is any state where "<ent type='GPE'>Idaho</ent>" is supposedly
located. Noted experts in the field of interpreting these
pictures unanimously agree that, from outer space, it is
impossible to determine the borders of this elusive "state."
Yet meteorologists and cartographers routinely overlay
these satellite pictures with the outline of states that
would seem to indicate Idaho's existence.</p>

<p> PHOTOGRAPHIC "EVIDENCE"</p>

<p>Many people, skeptical of the clear evidence that <ent type='GPE'>Idaho</ent>
does not and never did exist, point to photographs that they've
seen in encyclopedias and postcards seeming to show parts of the
state of <ent type='GPE'>Idaho</ent>. </p>

<p>It is important to note that a photograph without a caption
is often meaningless. A picture of people in boats surrounded
by mountains could have been taken in <ent type='GPE'>Colorado</ent> or <ent type='GPE'>Nevada</ent>,
but when the holy *caption* says that this is a picture of
the "<ent type='LOC'>Salmon River</ent>" in "<ent type='GPE'>Idaho</ent>," gullible readers tend to
swallow this information whole *without any further examination.*</p>

<p>We have examined literally hundreds of these "photographs," and
the ones that are not outright fakes are all clearly taken in
other parts of the nation.</p>

<p>ASK THE JAPANESE</p>

<p>It is well known that <ent type='NORP'>Americans</ent> are woefully ignorant about
geography, which is one reason why it is so easy to fake an
entire state here. Not surprisingly, most of the effort to
create the illusion of <ent type='GPE'>Idaho</ent> has been expended in the <ent type='GPE'>USA</ent>.
But if you would ask a typical <ent type='NORP'>Japanese</ent> or <ent type='NORP'>French</ent> schoolchild
about what he/she knows about <ent type='GPE'>Idaho</ent>, you will usually get a
blank stare. People who are much better at geography than
<ent type='NORP'>Americans</ent> have never heard of this "great state." </p>

<p>THE POTATO MYTH </p>

<p>Any given supermarket in <ent type='GPE'>the United</ent> States has sacks of potatoes
clearly marked "<ent type='GPE'>Idaho</ent> Potatoes." People make the assumption, that
when they are buying these potatoes, that they were *grown* in
the "state" of "<ent type='GPE'>Idaho</ent>." </p>

<p>Actually, "<ent type='GPE'>Idaho</ent>" is a type of potato, just like "McIntosh" is
a type of apple. The FACT is that *many* states have potato crops,
as well as foreign countries, and potatoes that say "<ent type='GPE'>Idaho</ent>" on
them are no more from <ent type='GPE'>Idaho</ent> than <ent type='GPE'>Baltimore</ent> Orioles all come
from <ent type='GPE'>Maryland</ent>.</p>

<p>SO, WHAT'S THERE?</p>

<p>Nothing. THERE IS NOTHING THERE. We have been so brainwashed
by the traditional mapmaking community to think that if <ent type='GPE'>Idaho</ent>
doesn't exist, then there must be some sort of vacuum there
instead. This is nonsense.</p>

<p>The very shapes and positions of the states, and indeed of
every nation on the planet, is only known through "information"
provided by cartographers. It is akin to asking "if Santa's
house isn't at the <ent type='PERSON'>North</ent> Pole, then what's there instead?"</p>

<p>THE CARTOGRAPHER CONSPIRACY</p>

<p>The *only evidence* that there is a state called <ent type='GPE'>Idaho</ent> comes from
maps. Everybody has maps, in almanacs, in encyclopedias, and
on the walls of every elementary school classroom in <ent type='GPE'>America</ent>.</p>

<p>Astonishingly, *over 99%* of all maps are created by *cartographers!*
If any clearly defined set of people would control any other
important industry to that degree, everybody would be up in arms
about the undue influence given to a meager few. However, for
some reason, Cartographers are immune to such criticism. Any
mention about the Cartographer influence over the mapmaking
industry (and, as a natural extension, OUR VERY THOUGHTS!) is
dismissed as "lunacy." </p>

<p>As an indication of how insidious is this influence, just think:
have you ever questioned a map? Maps, being graphical objects,
require much less effort to assimilate into our very psyches.
Behavioral studies show that people can much more readily understand
maps than printed descriptions of geographical areas; in fact,
the images on maps tend to go directly into the subconsciousness
of Man (Homo <ent type='ORG'>Sapiens</ent>) without the critical thinking that accompanies
reading. In a very real way, Cartographers are the *real* Thought
Police. </p>

<p>But they do not work in a vacuum. There are much too few of them
to do their real damage unaided. Mapmakers have conspired with the
editors of almanacs and encyclopedias to create a fantastic illusion
of space where there is none, people where there aren't any, and
ski resorts where none exist. </p>

<p>ONLY THE BEGINNING</p>

<p>This is only the tip of the iceberg. We have much more material
on this conspiracy, and we have yet to uncover one iota of evidence
that <ent type='GPE'>Idaho</ent> has ever existed. All of the so-called "evidence" is
a mixture of falsifications, coersions, lies and exaggerations.</p>

<p>The Cartographers would like nothing better than to silence us.
If you do not see any more postings on this subject, then you
have clear evidence that their Conspiracy of Silence on <ent type='GPE'>Idaho</ent> </p>

<p>has succeeded, and that Freedom of Speech has been curtailed by
<ent type='ORG'>the Cartographical Thought Police</ent>. </p>

<p>What can you do? All we ask is that you be open minded. Of course,
you cannot trust any of the second-hand evidence that you would
find in libraries, maps (!), airline schedules or street signs.
All you can trust is what we have written here. We are confident
that once you evaluate all of the valid evidence, you will be
angered by this conspiracy, and motivated to do something about
the scum who perpetated this hoax.

</p></xml>